Huskies have a distinct feature in their ears, which makes them stand out among other dogs. The beautiful breed's puppies have erect, triangle-shaped ears. The ears stand up after some time, which leaves most owners eagerly waiting for this moment. But when do a husky's ears stand up?
The time your huskie's ears stand up varies from one puppy to another. This is because each dog achieves its developmental milestones differently.
If you're looking forward to your husky’s ears standing up, this guide has all the answers you require.
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When Do Husky Ears Stand Up? Complete Answer
Husky's ears stand up when they are about 6 weeks old and older. However, this can also happen earlier or much later.
Your puppy's diet, bloodline, physical growth, and teething can affect this developmental milestone. So, expect each husky to respond differently to this and have upright ears at a different time from the rest, as each puppy is different.
The standing ears develop mostly before the breeder releases the puppy to you. But there are times when your puppy can have one standing ear and the other one floppy. Then, after some time, this changes, and the standing ear becomes floppy while the floppy one stands up, which is normal.
Expect to see floppy and standing ears interchangeably as your husky grows since ear development is erratic in smaller puppies.
Do Husky Puppies Have Floppy Ears?
Yes. All the young puppies have floppy ears. The attractive, non-aggressive dogs with wolf-like features, coat markings, and piercing eyes have floppy ears at a tender age. The floppy ears fold towards the front, contrary to what most owners expect to see.
Your husky's ears become floppy when teething as they develop adult teeth. So, even if your puppy has had the triangle-shaped ears for more than a week, if they start teething, their ears can flop.
When Will My Husky’s Ears Stand Up?
Most breeders claim that Husky ears stand up from the 6th week on. However, this time can vary, as some Husky's ears stand up after 10 weeks. But most of them have standing ears for 8-10 weeks.
The time difference is due to different factors, like teething. You should expect to see your puppy's ears stand up and then become flappy at different intervals. All you need is patience and positivity to have your puppy achieve all the required milestones.
After the 6th or 7th month, all the ears should stand up, and your puppy will be as beautiful as it should be. If, after these months, your puppy's ears still flop, consider visiting your vet.
3 Main Reasons Why Huskies Have Floppy Ears
Since it's common for a Huskie's ears to flop after standing up, you don't need to worry. Instead, you should understand the reason for such a change and be optimistic about having the distinctive ear shape come back.
Weak Cartilage
Your husky might have floppy ears because of weak cartilage. Remember, the ear consists of bones and cartilage responsible for the ear's structure and strength. Their ears will stand up if your husky's bones and cartilage are stronger and healthier.
However, the dog's ears will remain floppy if they're weak. Most huskies develop weak cartilage because of rough play at a tender age. This happens if the puppies engage in rough play or someone mistakenly mishandles their ears.
Breeding
Your dog's genes can also contribute to its floppy ears. If your husky's parents had floppy ears, expect yours to inherit them. The floppy ears will run through their generation, as it's something in their bloodline.
If your puppy has show dog blood lines and comes from a line of well bred Huskies, the floppy ears shouldn't worry you. Remember, the show huskies have prominent ears and might take time to develop. It's advisable to ask your breeder about your puppy's parents to be certain of this.
Teething
Teething in dogs is a must-go-through process, and it takes several months. The weird thing is that teething affects Husky's ears. The main reason why teething affects the pup's ears is that it puts pressure on their jaws and neck muscles, which are also responsible for their perky ears.
If your dog's neck and jaw muscles are under stress, their ears will flop to reduce the effects of the pressure on their body. Since teething comes in different waves of development, expect to see changes. Teething extent this week can be severe, and the next one is very little.
When the teething becomes severe, your puppy's ears are likely to flop, but as the severity reduces, they will stand up. This will happen until the teething stops.
Healthy Habits For Healthy Ears
If you want your puppy to have healthy ears, you must work for it. You can achieve this using the following methods:
Don’t Play With Their Ears
One of the best ways to promote healthy ears in your huskies is to avoid playing with their ears. Remember, you can be tempted to touch your puppy's ears when playing or cuddling.
Even though doing this is okay, applying too much pressure to the ears has an effect. Touching their ears while under too much stress can damage their fragile cartilage, messing with the normal ear’s growth.
Since it's easier to touch the dog's ears when over-excited, avoiding such contact is best. You can unknowingly put pressure on the dog's ears, affecting their strength. Not touching the ears allows them to grow to their full potential without challenges and to look healthy.
Vitamins and Diet
You also need to work on your puppy's diet to help them grow healthy ears. Feed your Huskies high-quality, healthy foods that can’t affect their normal growth. Give them foods rich in protein, antioxidants, minerals, and fats.
Such foods enhance growth and ensure all their physical parts develop well. But moderate the carbs levels as they can make your puppy super active after the food converts to energy, which can be difficult to manage.
The husky puppy’s diet should also include vitamins essential for growth. Remember, puppies undergo rigorous development when they're about 3 to 8 months old. During this stage, they require enough nutrients to facilitate the process.
With enough vitamins and proper food, your huskies' ears and coat will look healthy and well taken care of. You can supplement their diet with healthy treats or kibble to boost these nutrients.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine can also help your dog's ears remain healthy. The supplement, though meant for human use, can also help your dogs achieve milestones. It can help strengthen their ear's cartilage and lubricate their joints.
Most dog owners give their older dogs glucosamine to reduce the effects of joint problems. But it can also help the smaller puppies manage elbow dysplasia or hip problems, which huskies suffer from. Before giving glucosamine to your husky, talk to the vet.
Plenty of Rest
Also, allow your husky to have plenty of rest. Enough rest is essential to provide the dog with the required energy that helps in other body development. Let your dog sleep for about 16-20 hours a day, as the puppies tend to sleep more than the seniors.
Sleep helps boost your husky's immune system, which prevents infection in crucial parts like the ears. Ensure your dog naps or sleeps well without interruptions and gets enough exercise. Let everyone in your house avoid interrupting a sleeping dog, as this interferes with their growth.
What If My Husky’s Ears Are Not Standing Yet?
Call your vet if your husky’s ears are not standing yet after teething or the stipulated time. The vet can advise you on the best steps to take to keep your dog's ears in perfect shape.
If your husky’s ears are not standing yet but it's teething, there is nothing you or the vet can do. The stress from teething won't allow them to stand up as you expect, which requires time to take its natural course.
But remember, some huskies have floppy ears. So, if they're not standing yet, they might never stand, as they're not meant to remain firm. You can ask about the history of the husky parents to be sure of this.
If both have erect ears, give your husky time; they will stand at the right time.
Should You Tape Your Husky’s Ears Up?
If your husky’s ears fail to stand up, this question might linger in your mind. As weird as it might look, this thing happens among other breeds. Some husky owners also practice it to help their puppies grow straight ears.
Taping the ears can help your husky ears stay upright and develop the right shape. However, it’s not recommended to do this to your puppy. You might end up taping the ears in the wrong direction.
Worse still, you can end up injuring your dog's ears. The tape can cause permanent cartilage damage or damage to the ear bones. So, it's not worth the risk, and you should accept your husky in whatever shape its ears are in.
Remember, a floppy ear is not a disability and doesn't make your dog less beautiful or inferior. Floppy ears also don't affect hearing; can they affect your dog’s self-esteem?
A veterinarian will not allow you to do this to your husky. Furthermore, this doesn't pay off and can cause more harm than expected.
But all huskies with floppy ears don’t live to their old age with them. This is because floppy ears repair themselves with time and attain the shape most dog owners expect in huskies.
Conclusion
Everyone loves cute dogs with beautiful coats and different shapes or sizes. And this is exactly what you get with huskies. However, most husky owners get worried if their dogs don’t have the triangle-shaped ears they're famous for.
Before you run out of patience, it's good to note that the husky's ears start to stand after 6 weeks. Some might take a longer time to realize this, while others take a shorter time to have standing ears.
Your husky can also take up to 6 or 8 months to have standing ears if they are teething or have weak cartilage. You can give your husky vitamin supplements and a healthy diet to help their ear growth. Also, allow them to have plenty of rest.
Don’t force the ears to stand by tapping them, as this can worsen the situation. Note that some breeds have floppy ears, which can never stand no matter what you do. Talk to your vet if you realize something abnormal about your husky's ear.
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